Of Wildwood Flowers and Whiskey
by Villana Del Amor
Summary: Here's to the long nights that came with smooth Tennessee whiskey and love that was sweet as wine. To wildwood flowers that hid us in the moonlight, from ourselves and each other. Chibs/OFC.
1. Shit

**Title**: Of Wildwood Flowers and Whiskey

**Summary**: Here's to the long nights that came with smooth Tennessee whiskey and love that was sweet as wine. To wildwood flowers that hid us in the moonlight, from ourselves and each other. _Chibs/OC._

**A/N**: Hello all! This is my second SOA fic, feel free to check out my first one! This one is AU S6, so we will not be following the plot directly. I own nothing, so please R&R- it keeps my muse going!

**Chapter One:** Shit

Erin woke up and groaned, her head spinning a hundred miles an hour and the sun glaring through the window was not making it any better. It took her a few moments, but her eyes adjusted to the light and she sat up slowly, feeling all of the liquids she downed last night slosh around in her stomach. She found herself naked on a bathroom floor, the tiles yellow with age. She leaned into the toilet and puked, instantly feeling relief as she emptied her stomach contents.

When she felt better, she got up and walked into the empty main room, realizing that she was in some shitty motel. Piecing together pertinent clues- the crappy drapes, the fact that she reeked of alcohol and tobacco, and the fact that she had no clue where she was, she came to the realization that she had one crazy, long night.

"Shit," she said, grabbing her clothes off the floor. She shoved her body awkwardly into the clothes, her body sore from what she could only imagine took place last night. As she grabbed her smokes off the night stand, she found a large ring lying there. She picked it, feeling the weight of it in her hand. Erin flipped it over and found what appeared to be a reaper etched into it.

"Who the hell did I pick up last night?" She muttered to herself, grabbing her stuff and shoving it into her purse. As she exited the room, and made her way to her car, she tried to will herself to remember what happened last night. Erin knew the where and how- she worked as a bartender at a local bar in town and when she got lonely enough (especially if the whiskey went down smooth enough) she could lower down the walls and let someone in long enough to release some tension. But the next morning, the walls went back up and she went about her day as if nothing happened.

She threw her purse onto the passenger seat and sped out of the shady motel's parking lot, happy to see it in her rearview mirror. What she wasn't happy to see was all the hickeys on her neck. "Shit."

* * *

The club members voted in their new patches and quickly began to celebrate, happy to finally have a full table again. Jax slapped Chibs on the back and motioned for a round of shots for everyone. The entire clubhouse hooted and hollered as their newest members walked into the room. "Shit, not me, brother. I think old age has finally caught up with me," Chibs replied, turning down the strong drink.

Jax glanced at him and smirked. "Old age, brother? I think you and I both know that you're hungover ten ways from Sunday. You gotta take it easy, especially when you have early wake up calls the next morning," he said, before walking away and disappearing into the crowd.

Chibs stared after him, envious of the fact that he could go on, as if nothing happened. As if, just 24 hours, a young boy hadn't died in the crossfire between them and the Mayans. As if, Chibs failed to save his life and now he was dead. But it didn't matter to them. All they did was go out and drink to forget the pain, but he was cut from a different cloth. He had that Catholic guilt eating him alive.

He walked over to the bar and motioned for Chuckie to pour him a beer. As he threw the beer back, he had flashbacks of the previous night's events and sighed. He drank way too much and ended up in some crappy bar with the club, in the next town over. Throwing caution to the wind, he picked up some no name bartender and they ended up at a small motel a few miles down the road. The scratch marks on his back clued him in on what went down.

As he had flashbacks of what went down, Gemma slid into the bar stool next to him, motioning to Chuckie for her own shot. "You okay, Chibs?" She asked, gently nudging him with her shoulder. She knew her Scottish friend was of the gentler kind. While he ran with the best of them, he did have a softer heart.

"Yeah, just feeling a bit under the weather," he responded. "How about you? How are things going with you and lover boy?" He asked, motioning to Nero. Gemma glanced over her shoulder to him and shrugged. "You know how that goes. Club business always rubs people the wrong way," she replied, referencing the rough patch between Nero and Jax because of the club blowback on Diosa.

Chibs nodded, knowing that she spoke the truth. "We're trying, Gems. Jax is banging his head against the wall trying to make it all right for everyone," he said. Gemma patted his back, agreeing with him. Ever since Chibs became vice president, he found himself putting out the fires that that Jax and the club started. He knew it came with the territory, but he didn't know it was going to be this tiring. She held up her shot and they both drank to a new future for the club.

* * *

Erin moaned loudly, her body shaking and wet with sweat, as she clung to her bed sheets. Her legs shook, as her back arched. "Oh my god," she moaned loudly, as her hair stuck to her wet forehead. Moments later, she awoke from her vivid dreams, panting wildly.

"Shit," she muttered, turning on her bedside sat up in bed, wiping the sweat off of her forehead. She couldn't believe it- the dream felt so real. The experience was crazy. Her body reacted like she was just in bed with a man right now. She sighed, remembering every moment of it, and craving more of it. The man from the bar.

Erin flopped back into bed and groaned, the flashbacks coming back to her. She couldn't remember his name or what he looked like, but for some reason she could imagine what he smelled like. Tobacco, car oil, and some type of cologne. He had a hearty laugh and a soft touch, that somehow managed to get past her sarcastic, bitchy attitude and into her pants. Somehow, somewhere, he saw something that he liked, when she could barely even find one little thing in the mirror. And she couldn't even remember what he looked like.

Erin groaned, climbing out of her bed and walking barefoot into the kitchen, clad only in a pair of panties and a wifebeater. She lit a cigarette and poured herself a glass of vodka, standing in her dark kitchen, looking out into the empty street. It was 3am and she couldn't sleep. "Shit."


	2. Dinner for Two

**Title**: Of Wildwood Flowers and Whiskey

**Summary**: Here's to the long nights that came with smooth Tennessee whiskey and love that was sweet as wine. To wildwood flowers that hid us in the moonlight, from ourselves and each other. _Chibs/OFC._

**A/N**: I know you guys are reading- which is good, but please R&R- it keeps my muse going! The first chapter was kind of rough, as you'll soon find out- I'm not really a Mary Sue type of writer.

**Chapter Two:** Dinner for Two

_-5 months later- _

Chibs had come to discover that sometimes in life, as a man, you have to put pride aside and just learn to take the hits on the chin. And if it's one thing that the Sons of Anarchy had taught him, especially recently, it was how to take it like a man. Tig and him currently stood shoulder to shoulder, staring down the barrel of a gun, as their captors instructed them to take a walk down the dark, dirt road back towards town.

Tig had to bite his tongue to keep from saying something stupid, as Chibs dragged him away from the unmarked van that just deposited them in the middle of nowhere. When they were far enough away, Tig let out a groan. "Can you fucking believe this shit, man?" He said. "They took my wallet, my keys, and my cell phone." Chibs nodded, realizing they were up shit's creek without a paddle.

"We ain't got no other choice, brother. We're just gonna have to hike it," he said, pointing to the nearby town lights. "We don't even know where the fuck we are!" Tig complained, zipping up his hoodie. The duo were taken as insurance on a deal, and instead of being deposited back in Charming, they were driven around for about an hour to disorient them and then dropped off on a beaten dirt road somewhere.

"Come on, we don't have a choice. It's either that or sit here and wait until a car drives by to give us a ride," Chibs replied, pushing him down the road. 30 minutes later, the men arrived at the town down the road, realizing that everything looked oddly familiar. "Hey, let's go into this bar. I think I've been here before," Tig said, walking towards a small, hole in the wall looking bar.

Chibs nodded, realizing that maybe they had been there recently. "Weren't we here a few months ago, after that Mayan shooting?" He asked. He received his answer as soon as they entered, when the bar went deadly silent and all you could hear was the music in the background and noise coming from the kitchen. "We come in peace," Tig joked lightly.

The men walked straight to the bar and sat down, waiting for the bartender, a short, older man to approach them. He did, nervously at first, a small smile on his face. "It's just the two of you tonight?" He asked. Chibs looked at Tig and then back at the bartender. "Have we been here before?" He asked, glancing around the bar. The bartender nodded. "Sure have. You and your whole crew. Wild as ever. We had to turn customers away that night. It was fun, but boy- you guys sure know how to party," he said.

He wiped his hand on a dish towel and extended his hand towards them. "My name's Billy," the older man said. "You're the motorcycle club from Charming, right? What can I get you guys?" Tig looked around and nodded. "It looks familiar enough. We must have been real gone to not remember anything. Can we borrow your phone? I have to make a call," he asked.

Billy nodded, reaching down under the counter and grabbing the bar's phone. He passed it to him and then turned to Chibs. "If I remember correctly, your drink is Jack, with a hint of ginger," he said, pouring him a glass. Chibs cocked his head to the side and looked at the man. "How'd you know?" He asked, impressed with the man, as Tig went outside to talk to who he could only assume was Jax. "My name's Chibs, nice to meet you."

The bartender smiled at him and handed him the drink. "I've been a bartender for 40 years. I would never forget a man with a face like that and your accent, plus you drank enough of those and bought enough of them for my manager to pay the rent," he replied. Little bits and pieces were coming back to Chibs, but not enough for him to paint a full picture, but what he did catch was Billy's face drop at the end of his sentence. "What's wrong, mate?" He asked, taking a sip of his drink.

Billy shook his head and shrugged. "Nothing. That song playing on the jukebox reminds me of someone," he replied, beginning to wipe down the bar. The older man turned away from him and disappeared into the bar's kitchen. Chibs sat alone, listening to the song playing faintly in the background. An old Johnny Cash song that he somehow knew.

He couldn't place it, but this song was comfort to him. As he hummed along, he leaned back in his chair and took a sip of his drink, taking in the bar's decor. Pictures lined the walls, but there was one that stood out the most to him. It was one of Billy and a brunette, hugging and laughing. He couldn't quite place her, but she was familiar- much like everything here.

Chibs grabbed a waitress who was walking by and motioned for another drink. "Hey love, who's the lady in the picture with Billy?" He asked, pointing up at the picture on the wall. The waitress glanced over at the picture and smiled back at him. "Don't you remember?" She asked. "That's Erin, Billy's niece. You guys had a pretty crazy night last time you were in town." She poured him another drink before walking off.

Tig walked into the bar, a triumphant smile on his face. "Happy and Juice are on their way. They are grabbing Jax at Diosa," he said. He slipped into the bar stool next to Chibs and hollered for the waitress. "Let me get a bottle of bourbon, sweetheart," he said, before turning back to Chibs. "Can you believe it? We ended up back here."

"Do you remember anything about the night we were here?" Chibs asked, leaning in. "You know, the night after we ran into the Mayans." Tig nodded and shrugged, as the waitress walked back over to them, handing him two glasses and a bottle of bourbon. Tig waited for her to walk away before speaking again, in a hushed tone.

"Listen, I know you, brother. You and Jax may be tight and shit, like me and Clay was, but I know you. You were real messed up that night. After everything that happened with that kid, I can understand. You tried your hardest to save him and you couldn't," he said. Chibs drew in a deep breath, his words opening up old wounds. Tig poured them both a drink, to try to soften his blow. Tig knew what it was to lose a child.

"We came in that night; we were all hurting real bad. So we drank and drank some more. Some of those Diosa girls came by. You weren't in the right frame of mind, so you were all mopey and spent the entire night drinking with that bartender chick. Seemed like you were having a pretty decent time with her. That's all I remember. By the time I left, you were long gone with her. You had the prospects drop her car off at the motel down the road, and you took off with her on your bike."

As Tig recalled the events from that night, Chibs began to piece together some of the stuff himself. He could picture the bartender leaning in and talking to him, placing her hand on his arm. She threw her head back and laughed loudly, her long, curly, brown hair flying wildly behind her. He remembered leaning in and wiping the tears of laughter from the corner of her blue eyes. He didn't know what they were laughing about, but for once in his life, he was funny.

"Chibs? Chibs?" Tig said, snapping him out of his daze. He placed his hand on his shoulder and shook him lightly. "Yeah, brother?" Chibs responded. "Oh come on! You have that stupid look on your face. Don't tell me you like the chick now," Tig said. Chibs shrugged. "I barely remember her. I'm just curious is all. What exactly happened that night?"

Chibs took a sip from his drink as Billy emerged from the kitchen, carrying a tray of food. He stopped at the bar and began to make some drinks. "How's everything going guys?" He asked Tig and Chibs. Tig glanced over to Chibs and nodded over to Billy. Chibs cleared his throat and leaned over to the bartender, a smile on his face. "We're good, really enjoying the atmosphere. Hey, where's the pretty bartender? Erin's her name," he asked, his accent thick.

Billy froze, almost spilling a drink. He quickly recovered his step and placed his drink on his tray. "She no longer works here. Moved out of town," he said quickly, before walking away from them abruptly. He rushed out from behind the bar and walked over to the tables, to deliver their food. Tig craned his neck after him, staring suspiciously. "Something's up," he muttered. "He was too eager to get away from us after you asked about the girl."

* * *

Billy the bartender lived on top of the bar he owned, the one he used to manage with his niece Erin. He waited until he heard the bikes turn onto the main street before dialing the last number and approaching the window. As the phone rang, he could see the bikers heading out of town, from his perch on the window sill.

"Hello."

"Hey, sweetheart."

"Hey, Uncle Billy."

"He was here."

"Okay."

"He asked about you."

"And? Why do I feel like you are trying to get at something?"

"You should come home. Back to the bar and some place where I can take care of you."

"You won't be able to protect me from them. From him."

"You don't know that. We can do things the right way. For once."

"I made a mistake. I can't let you get dragged into my life."

"Listen. I know that you live your life very differently than me, but that's okay. I'll learn to adjust. We'll learn together."

"Uncle Billy, you have always been such an optimist, but this is one situation that won't be solved with kisses and hugs."

"Stop being such a worry wart. Come home."

"I have to go. I'll call you tomorrow."

* * *

Erin hung up the phone and sighed, leaning back into her seat. She stretched her neck and arms out before placing a pair of headphones on her head. She turned back to her computer, and began to type. She scoffed, realizing that she left the glamorous life of bartending to become a legal transcriptionist for a lawyer's office in Nevada. It was the fastest and best paying job she could find. Beggars couldn't be choosers.

She groaned, ripping the headphones off her head and slamming them on to the table. She glanced around the shit hole apartment she had sold herself upon. The shitty life she had promised herself she would make work. She left it all behind to hide in Nevada, to run away from it all. Erin stood up and began to pace around the room, wondering if her uncle was right. Maybe they could make it work. Maybe, just maybe- she would need his help.

As she paced, the doorbell rang, signaling that the Chinese food she ordered, had finally arrived. She grabbed the cash from her wallet and made her way towards the door. "I'm coming," she hollered, her stomach rumbling loudly. She unchained her door and smiled at the delivery man. "Thank you," she said, tipping him generously. "Oh, eating for two. Enjoy," he said, before waving goodbye. Erin nodded as he walked away.

As she entered the apartment again, she dropped the Chinese food on the table, and walked into the kitchen to grab a plate. As she walked over to the kitchen, the full length mirror by the entry way, grabbed her attention. She stood in front of it, eyeing herself. Erin placed her hands on her growing, round belly and smiled. "Yeah, dinner for two."


	3. I Got You, Love

**Title**: Of Wildwood Flowers and Whiskey

**Summary**: Here's to the long nights that came with smooth Tennessee whiskey and love that was sweet as wine. To wildwood flowers that hid us in the moonlight, from ourselves and each other. _Chibs/OFC._

**A/N**: Much love to KupKakes09 and SoAHAPPYLover for the reviews and support! Enjoy this chapter!

**Chapter Three: **I Got You, Love

Chibs glared at Juice across the garage. That was his brother and he was his keeper, but something in his gut told him not to trust him. Chibs was clearly having a hard time still trusting Juice 100% after the entire incident with Roosevelt and Clay. While Chibs was working on building his relationship with him, he didn't do personal with Juice, but right now he needed him. "Dammit," he muttered, putting down his wrench and walking over to him.

He stood in front of him and cleared his throat. Juice rolled out from under the car he was working on and looked up at him. "Hey, what's up?" He asked, sitting up. "I need your help, when you get a chance," he said. Juice nodded, standing up and wiping his hands on his jeans. "What do you need?" He asked, a little too eagerly.

"I need you to help me find somebody. A girl. I don't have much information on her," he replied. Juice nodded, walking with him towards the clubhouse. They made their way towards Juice's computer and settled down into a quiet corner. "Alright what do you got?" The younger man asked. Chibs reached into his pocket and pulled out a menu for the bar and handed it to him. "Her uncle, Billy, owns that bar. Her name is Erin. That's pretty much all I got," he said, pointing to the menu.

Juice shrugged and began to type furiously on his keyboard. He stiffened up when he felt the older man's hand fall onto his shoulder and his fingers dig into him. "This is not club business, you hear?" He whispered into his ear. Juice nodded nervously, continuing his search. Chibs loosened his grip on him and patted him on the shoulder, before walking away and back to the garage.

Moments later, Juice appeared next to him, hopping from one foot to another. "Down little rabbit," Chibs said, snatching the computer printout from his hand. Juice laughed, and pointed at the paper. "She is actually the owner of that bar. Inherited it from her father, but she signed it over to her uncle a couple of years back. Seems like it's a family business. Has a couple of credit cards. No warrants. A couple drunk and disorderlies. And up until 5 months ago, she worked at the bar. Now she rents some apartment in Nevada," he rambled.

Chibs nodded, before folding the paper and shoving it into his shirt pocket. "You did good, kid. Now run along and play," he said. Juice groaned. "Oh, come on! I don't get to help you go find the mysterious woman? Who, by the way, looks hot in her DMV picture," he complained. He froze, scared shitless by the look Chibs was giving him.

"If you mention this ever again or her to anyone, I'll slice you from the belly button to your sternum. Do you hear me?" Juice nodded, swallowing hard. He held his hands up and walked away slowly, heading back to the clubhouse. Chibs reached into his pocket and grabbed his cellphone, dialing Tig's burner cell number. "Hey, want to go for a ride?"

* * *

They duo ditched their cuts for their dark street clothes and the club's blacked out van. Tig had come along no questions asked. He knew if Chibs was asking for him to come along, he shouldn't question him. Out of all the men, Chibs was the most reserved. He kept to himself and proved himself to the club and the crew. So when he called, Tig came running.

They sat outside the rundown apartment complex, parked directly in the shadows, waiting patiently. "What do you expect to find here?" Tig asked, taking a bite from his hot dog. Chibs shrugged, staring at the apartment complex's entrance. "I don't know, mate. Anything, I guess? But something is up," he said. Tig held up the DMV printout that Juice had given them and smirked. "She's a looker. My guess is that little Chibby is in love."

Tig began to cough as Chibs pressed his knife against his throat. "What was that, laddie?" He asked, leaning in towards him. Tig shook his head and continued to cough. When he managed to clear his throat, he waved him away. "Nothing. Just years of brain damage, acting up."

* * *

Erin sped down the open road, really wishing she had a cigarette. Before the pregnancy she led a different life. It involved working, drinking, partying, smoking, and small amounts of sleeping. Now all she did was sleep and work. It was Friday night, she was supposed to be scantily dressed to go out. A fresh pack of cigarettes. Wild hair. Dark makeup. A full tank of gas. Now she had a back seat full of groceries, swollen ankles, greasy hair and stretch marks.

She slowed down as she turned onto her street, the sun finally disappearing for the day. She sighed softly, reaching into her purse and grabbing the small handgun she carried around with her. Erin had grown up in a shitty neighborhood and currently lived in one. And since she was a single, white, pregnant lady living alone in a town where she knew no one, she wasn't about to take any chances.

She pulled into the parking lot of her apartment building and grabbed her purse, shoving her handgun into the back waistband of her maternity pants. She snickered, picturing what she must look like, toting a gun there, as she grabbed her bags from the back seat. Erin began to waddle into her apartment complex, through the main doors and down the hallway towards her apartment.

Moments later, after struggling with the heavy bags, she entered her apartment. She walked into the kitchen, her hands full with the bags, not picking up on the fact that the front door didn't latch behind her. She began to put away her groceries, struggling to reach the top shelf. "For fucks sake," she muttered, dragging over a kitchen chair to climb up on.

As she reached the top shelf, she struggled to get her footing. Erin reached up, using one hand to balance herself and the other to arrange the groceries. When she was finally done, she sighed, happy to be done with the menial task. "Erin," she heard a voice say, heavy foot steps startling her.

She jumped, losing her balance and falling onto the floor. She screamed in pain, hands grasping at her stomach. Her vision blurred, as hands helped her stand up. She blindly reached into her waistband, and waved her gun around. "Get out!" She yelled, one hand holding out the gun, the other holding her stomach, while tears streamed down her face. "Let me help you," the familiar voice said, while she gasped in pain. Erin gasped, before collapsing in pain.

* * *

Chibs shifted in his seat, his ass going numb from sitting on it for so long. Tig sighed softly as a car turned into the parking lot. "Here we go," he mumbled, holding up the DMV printout. "Matches the car description and license plate," Tig said, sparking Chibs' interest. The older man sat up in his seat and leaned on the steering wheel, focusing on the car.

They watched as the car parked and the driver got out. From the distance they were at, they could only see a female with long, curly brown hair. As she turned to place something in her waistband, Chibs felt his heart drop down into his stomach. "Oh fuck," Tig whispered. They sat stone still as they processed the fact that the woman was several months pregnant.

"This explains... alot," Chibs mumbled, his face slack with shock. "What's the game plan, Chibby? We can't just sit here and watch her carry all that crap upstairs," Tig said, reaching for the door handle. "No!" Chibs exclaimed, placing a hand on his arm. He pointed back at Erin, as she disappeared into the apartment complex with her groceries.

"Tig, she disappeared for a reason. What if us opening that door only make it worse?" The older man asked. Tig motioned around them, exasperatedly. "For fuck's sake, look at where we are at! Some shitty ass apartment. Who knows what it actually looks like in there. How much worse can it get?" He asked.

Chibs shrugged and sighed. "That could be your kid in there man. Just think about it." And he was. Part of him hoped it was. The other part didn't believe it was. Maybe it was a coincidence. He thought about Fiona and Kerrianne, and sighed, reminding himself that he didn't have a family. That the Sons were his family. Until now... Maybe.

He sighed, placing his hand on the door and exiting the van. "Just wait here," he threw over his shoulder, before slamming the van door shut. Chibs shoved his hands deep into his jean pockets and walked towards the old apartment building, which could've used two fresh coats of paint.

As he entered, he noticed the smell of piss and scrunched his face up. He maneuvered his way down the winding halls, towards the apartment number Juice had given him. When he finally arrived, he found the door slightly ajar. Not thinking anything of it, he pushed the door open, and entered the apartment, calling out her name. "Erin?"

He heard a thud and a loud crash, so Chibs rushed into the apartment, following loud cries. He found Erin on the kitchen floor, grasping her belly. He immediately rushed to her side, helping her stand up. Chibs knew what it looked like, a strange man in her apartment. So that's why he froze when she drew a gun from her waistband. "Let me help you," he said, slowly. But it was in vain, moments later, she collapsed in pain. "I got you, love."


	4. Get Our Girl

**Title**: Of Wildwood Flowers and Whiskey

**Summary**: Here's to the long nights that came with smooth Tennessee whiskey and love that was sweet as wine. To wildwood flowers that hid us in the moonlight, from ourselves and each other. _Chibs/OFC._

**A/N**: Thanks to SOAHappylove, KupKakes09, and DaryDixon'sLover for all the support. It's much appreciated. Here's something special for you all!

**Chapter Four:** Get Our Girl

Chibs grinded his teeth together and glared at the wall across the waiting room. He ignored the pitter, patter of Tig bouncing his leg nervously and focused on that one spot on the wall that didn't have a handprint on it. "What the hell is taking so long?" Tig muttered, chewing on a toothpick.

The doctor eyed Chibs and Tig wearily, before glancing down at the chart and approaching them. Both men shot up fast and almost bumped into the young, male doctor. "Um, you guys came in with Erin Doyle?" He asked, closing the chart and crossing his arms across his chest. They nodded, bracing themselves for bad news. "Alright, I can only take one of you to see her right now," he said, motioning to the hallway behind him.

Tig patted Chibs on the back and sat back down. "I'll wait here, brother," he said, nodding to the man. Chibs smiled at him, before following the doctor. They walked down the hallway, stopping at a room a few doors down. "How is she, doc?" He asked, nodding towards the door. "The baby is fine. The majority of the damage was to her. She's going to be sore for a while, so she needs to take it easy. We gave her some pain meds, so she's going to be loopy for a while. We'll keep her overnight to observe her and the pain, but she just needs some bed rest until the bruising fades," the doctor replied.

Chibs released a breath he didn't know he was holding. Part of him was already in mourning. He had already experienced so much death this past year of his life, he was becoming naturally used to it. "She's asleep now, but feel free to stay with her until she's discharged. Only one visitor at a time though," the doctor said, before walking away. He watched him walk away before turning back towards the door and placing his hand on the doorknob.

He slowly turned the handle, walking quietly into the dimly lit, quiet room after learning his lesson the first time around. Chibs drew in a deep breath when he saw her laying there on the bed, in the hospital gown, wires attached to her baby belly. He walked slowly to her bedside, placing his hands on the bed rails, watching her sleep. "I'm so sorry, love," he whispered, reaching over and pushing back her wild hair from her forehead.

He watched her for a few moments, the entire scene looking oddly familiar, and then he remembered how he watched her sleep back in the hotel room. The same wild hair stuck to her forehead. How she mumbled in her sleep, how she snored lightly. How her body fit perfectly into his. How her soft, warm skin melted into his.

Chibs pulled up a chair to her bed and sat down, ready to keep vigil if necessary. He felt guilty for everything. For the current situation she was in- both the pregnancy and the fall. He was sure everything was his fault. He sighed softly, running a hand over his face. He tried to come up with a way to deal with this, knowing he couldn't very well leave her side, but he also couldn't leave Tig sitting out in the waiting room forever. As he thought about his options, she began to stir, mumbling something under her breath.

* * *

Erin groaned slightly, feeling like her back and sides were on fire. She could foggily remember what had transpired. The fall. The man in her apartment. He saved her and the baby. He smelled so... familiar. She couldn't stop the tears as he picked her up in his arms and carried her to his van. Her heart raced, panicking at that the thought that maybe he was stealing her away to kill her.

But he wasn't alone. The other guy- he was freaking out, as she cried out in pain. Next thing she knew, she was in the emergency room. They saved her. The doctors pushed the men out of the room and began to give her shots, focusing on the baby. "No, please save my baby!" Erin yelled, crying at the thought of losing her baby, but the doctors assured her it wouldn't happen. The panic wouldn't subside, but Erin assumed the doctors gave her a sedative, because seconds later, she was calm and in a daze.

Minutes later, they had changed her into a gown and transferred her into a bed, after bandaging up her sides. She fell asleep soon after, only to wake up in a dimly lit room, where she could only hear machines beeping. "My baby," she whispered, stirring slightly on the bed. She moaned, the pain in her sides and back hitting her hard.

"The baby is fine," she heard a deep, male Scottish voice. She lifted her head up and tried to find the voice, but her vision was foggy. "Wha... who are you?" She asked. "You sound familiar." She could hear rustling behind her, as someone walked around the bed. Erin blinked a few times to clear her vision, and came face to face with him.

"It's me, love. Chibs," he replied. Erin stiffened, turning her face away from him. "What are you doing here? In Nevada? " She asked. She saw him fidget nervously, before clearing his throat and speaking again. "I had to find you. Figure out what was up." She shook her head and turned back towards him. "Nothing, but you need to leave."

Panic rose again in Erin, and the machines began to beep loudly. She pressed the button on the bed for a nurse repeatedly, glaring at him. "I want to be alone," she spat out, continuing to press the button. "Oh, come on. Don't act like that. I'm sorry about what happened. I didn't mean for the chair incident to happen. Just talk to me, sweetheart," Chibs said, placing a hand on her arm.

She shoved his hand away and yelled for the nurse. Moments later, the nurse entered the room, approaching the bed. "Is everything okay here?" She asked, glancing between the two of them. "No. I do not want any visitors," Erin spat out, glaring at him. The nurse looked at Chibs and then held a hand out towards the door. "Sir, the patient has requested you vacate her room. Please leave or I'll have to call security," she said.

Chibs stared at Erin, wild eyed. "Just tell me, is that baby mines or not?" He asked, his mouth set in a straight line. Erin turned away from him and shook her head, not finding the strength to lie to him, straight to his face. "Sure, it's not," Chibs said, before turning and walking out of the room. Erin waited until the nurse had left after him, and the door had clicked shut, before hiding her face in the pillow and breaking down.

* * *

Tig watched as Chibs paced the parking lot, a cigarette dangling between his lips, a murderous look on his face. He had filled him in on what had happened with the girl, but he couldn't believe. Tig knew he didn't have a say in Chibs personal affairs, but he knew the pain of losing a child, so he could imagine what it was to be denied one. He could imagine the pain that Chibs was going through being denied yet another child. He thought about Kerrianne and felt a pang for his friend.

He walked back into the hospital and headed straight for room Chibs came out of, a stern look on his face. When no one was looking, Tig slipped into the room, finding Erin sitting up in bed, clad only in a pair of maternity jeans and a bra. She was currently trying to remove all the wires from her belly. "Whoa, whoa. What the hell are you doing?" He asked, grabbing her hands and removing them from her belly.

She shoved him off and glared at him. "Who the fuck are you? And what are you doing here?" She said. "I asked first. Now answer," he said, walking back over to the door and locking it. Erin cocked an eyebrow and crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm getting the hell out of here. I'm fine. Baby is fine. So I'm going home. Now you answer."

Tig sighed and walked over to her, running his hands up and down her sides. She gasped in pain, as he pushed down tenderly on the dark purple bruises that lined her body. "You're not fine. You need to be on bed rest. Now get back into bed and stick those things back on that baby warmer," he said, picking up a hospital gown from the bed and handing it to her.

"What the fuck do you care? I don't even know you," she replied, throwing the gown over her shoulder. Erin continued to remove the wires from her stomach, eager to speed up her departure from the hospital. "I'm Tig. I came here with Chibs. Drove the van that brought you to this fine establishment," he said, holding out his hand.

She paused what she was doing and briefly glanced at his hand, before continuing her task. "Okay," he said, sitting down in a chair. "You know he'll just find you again. And next time he'll just show up with legal paperwork, forcing you to prove that's his kid," Tig said, his voice soft. He smiled kindly at her, leaning forward, his elbows on his thighs. It was a new kind of approach for him, one that involved less guns, blood, and violence.

Erin removed the last wire from her stomach and grabbed the rest of her clothes from the bed. She slipped into them, and stood right in front of him, staring down at him. "I want you to stand up, and look me in the face," she said, drawing in a breath and bracing herself for whatever came next.

Tig stood up and faced her, his eyebrow cocked. "I want you to know that I'm not afraid of you and your merry band of idiots. I know all about you. So if you think threatening me is going to work, you are WRONG. This kid, is MINE. Now take me back home, or I'll call the cops and press charges on dear, old Chibs. Whether or not I fell off that chair or he pushed me, it'll be my word against his," she said, her voice never wavering. He took a step back and nodded, kind of shocked that the girl had the balls to stand up to him.

He motioned to the door and let her lead the way, following her towards the parking lot. Chibs went wide eyed when he saw her emerge from the hospital with him in tow. Tig shrugged, as she motioned towards their van. "Take me home," she demanded, stopping in front of the van. Chibs walked over to them, throwing away what was left of his cigarette.

"Can we talk about this? Just sit down, grab a meal in public, and have a talk," he asked, opening the van door for her. Erin climbed in and glared at him. "I already spoke to your best friend here. He'll fill you in. Now, take me home," she said, putting her seat belt on and staring straight forward. Chibs nodded, closing door behind, signaling the end of their conversation.

"What'd she say?" He asked, turning towards Tig. "She said if you continue to come around, she's gonna call the cops and tell them you pushed her off that chair. And I'm pretty sure the medical records will help support her. A pregnant lady, running away from the biker outlaw. It's not looking good, Chibs," he said.

Tig frowned, not believing that this was his friend's fate. How could this woman be so cold hearted? Taking a child away from it's father. "Are you willing to risk it all for this kid, Chibby? Are you 100% sure that this baby is yours?" Chibs shrugged, rubbing his chin. A knock from inside the van alerted them that Erin was getting impatient. "No, I'm not, but there's one person who might know the truth. Dear, old billy."

* * *

Erin slid into the bath tub, the steaming hot water soothing her aches and pains. She could hear a soft rock song playing in the kitchen, as she slid down deeper, until the water reached her chin. She closed her eyes, thinking about Chibs, her heart dropping at the look on his face. She knew she was being selfish, but she had her reasons.

She knew she didn't know him at all, but something made her want to reach out and touch him. Something made her want to love him. Whether it was the deep accent or the soulful look in his eyes, she knew she wouldn't be able to resist him for long. She sighed, hoping her threat worked. As long as he stayed away from her, she knew her will wouldn't waver. If not, she was running out of time to hit the road again, she thought to herself, as she absentmindedly rubbed her hands over her belly.

* * *

Chibs waited until the parking lot of the bar cleared out, before heading inside. He found Billy behind the bar, drying off glasses. The older man looked up and smiled at him, seemingly uneasy at first. "Back again, friend," he asked. Chibs sat down at a bar stool in front of him and sighed, clasping his hands together in front of him. "Now, Billy, I just got back from a very tiring trip to Nevada," he said quietly, leaning back in his chair.

Billy froze, glancing up at him. "Did you think I wouldn't find her?" He continued, his voice dropping lower. The older man cleared his throat and grabbed two glasses, pouring them both a drink. "Yeah, I knew you would find her. It was only a matter time," Billy responded, nodding.

"Is that baby mines?" Chibs asked, getting straight to the point. He picked up his glass and chugged it back. Billy refilled Chibs' glass and took a drink out of his own, his movements slow and deliberate as he organized his answer. "She came home one day, with that look on her face, the same one she's had ever since she was little. Uncle Billy, we need to talk. Those were the words that changed everything. She was pregnant and she didn't want to talk about it."

"We ignored the topic for about a month, and then the morning sickness set in. And then the mood swings started. Cutting out all of the alcohol and cigarettes would do that to you. During all that time, she was just quiet. Not her usual quietness, but there was a stillness in her, like she was thinking. I tried to stop her, but she wouldn't listen to me. Wouldn't listen to reason. So she packed up, and left. Didn't hear from her for about a month, and then she was in Nevada," he said.

He took a sip from his drink and sighed. Billy turned around and walked into the kitchen, rummaging around for a few seconds. When he walked back in, he carried a folder in tow. "One night, I got lonely. Walked into her room and found this," he said, placing it in front of Chibs. "So I'm guessing, this might answer your question."

Chibs slid the folder closer to him, and opened it slowly. He spread the contents out and nodded, it all making sense to him. The folder contained newspaper clippings and printouts of everything related to the Sons of Anarchy. Considering everything that the club had been through in the last year, the folder was pretty full. He could tell she had a friend or two in the legal system, as copies of his criminal record were also inside.

A scowl found it's way to his face, as he thought about what she might have thought when she read all this stuff. He then thought about Donna, Tara, Tig's daughter, and felt disgusted with himself. "This might make anyone run, lad," Chibs said, closing the folder and pushing it away. Billy nodded, refilling both their glasses. He took a gulp from his glass before slamming it back down on the bar top and staring straight at Chibs. "Now tell me sonny, you gonna go and get our girl?"


	5. An Old Johnny Cash Song and Some Whiskey

**Title**: Of Wildwood Flowers and Whiskey

**Summary**: Here's to the long nights that came with smooth Tennessee whiskey and love that was sweet as wine. To wildwood flowers that hid us in the moonlight, from ourselves and each other. _Chibs/OFC._

**A/N**: Much love to DaryDixon'sLover for the support. This chapter will finally bring it all together and get the story going.

**Chapter Five:** An Old Johnny Cash Song and Some Whiskey

Chibs tried to focus on the task at hand- dealing with yet another angry customer. The auto shop in the next town over was closed for renovations, which meant that their snotty asses would be making the drive to Teller-Morrow for some service. This would normally be fine, as long as Chibs and Juice were the men in charge of the customer service, but today was the wrong day to be a brat around him.

"Listen, you little shit, it's either this or we do a complete overhaul of the engine. Either way, the car isn't ready until tomorrow," Chibs shouted, slamming his wrench in front of the customer. The blonde, blue eyed prep school bred boy jumped back, bumping into Jax. He eyed Chibs, before turning towards the customer. "Sorry about that. Why don't you give us a call later on today, to see where we are at with the repairs?" He said, flashing him a smile.

The customer nodded nervously, before exiting the body shop. Jax turned back to Chibs and held his arms out. "What the hell was that?" He asked. Chibs shrugged before turning back to the car and continuing to work on it. "Chibs, you've been in a horrible mood ever since you came back from your little road trip with Tig. What's up?" The older man froze, knowing that Erin had run away specifically because of the club. The last thing he wanted to do was drag her in by telling Jax the truth. He had seen what Tara had gone through because of the club, and he shuddered to think what could happen to Erin and the baby.

So he clammed up and shrugged. "I guess I just need a vacation, mate," he replied, lowering the car's hood. "I can't spare you right now. With everything going on with the Mayans and the Irish. I need you." Chibs sighed. He knew he signed up for this- the club always came first. But for the first time in a long time, he wanted to damn it all and be selfish for once. "I know. That's why I'm not asking," he replied quietly. "Do you want to talk about it?" Jax asked. Chibs shook his head firmly and wiped his hands on a rag. "I'll be fine, brother."

Jax shook his head, watching his friend walk away. "I know things have been rough around here with everything that been going on, but I need you to have my back, brother," he said, walking after him. With everything that happened with Clay, Juice, and Bobby, Jax didn't need anymore people doubting him. He needed more loyal followers at the table, more people watching his back. "I have your back. Ever since day one. Do you have mine, Jackson?" He asked, turning to face him. "Would you risk it all for me?" He asked, shoving his finger into his chest, but what he really meant to say was if was willing to risk it all for his family.

"Of course," Jax answered, without giving it a second thought. He knew deep down inside he would do anything to save his brothers. If anything, Tig was the prime example of that, but things did have a tendency of getting messy. If his quest to prove that he was nothing like Clay, he seemed to get dirty quite a lot. Chibs drew in a deep breath and sighed. "One day, you'll have to prove it, brother. Just how I've had to prove it all along," he replied quietly, before walking away and leaving Jax standing alone in the garage. Jax stared after him, confused as hell at what just transpired.

* * *

Billy took a pull on his cigar, relishing the full body feel of it. He exhaled slowly and turned to look at Chibs. "How long are we supposed to sit here, casing the joint?" He asked, motioning to to Erin's apartment building with his hand. It was the second time this month that Chibs had made the trip to Nevada, in hopes of getting some answers. This time he opted to take Billy with him. Chibs shrugged, and sighed, opening the van's door. "Come on, old man," he said, motioning towards the apartment building's entrance.

Somewhere along the drive they had concocted some half-cocked plan to lure Erin back into town. Granted, they had nothing to offer her, but Chibs hoped the old man's presence would soften her resolve a bit. He just needed one chance- one single chance to explain it all to her. Tell her how much this meant to him. Tell her how he would risk it all for her. And Billy would help him get that chance. He would prove it to her.

They approached her apartment door and Chibs stepped aside, letting the older man do the honors. Billy knocked loudly on the apartment door and waited for footsteps to approach the door. He heard the locks come undone and rustling behind the door, as the door began to swing open, to reveal a shocked Erin. A shit eating grin appeared on her face as she realized who it was.

"Uncle Billy?" Erin asked, throwing herself at him. He laughed wholeheartedly, wrapping his arms around her. Billy drank in how long her hair had gotten and how the waves had gotten deeper. Her voice hoarser as her belly grew and her life began to change. "Hey kid," he whispered, holding her tightly.

Erin looked behind him and came face to face with Chibs, leaning against the wall across from her apartment. "What's he doing here?" She asked, pulling away from Billy. "Erin, we need to sit down and talk about this. Stop running away from the situation at hand. He's just here to talk," Billy replied, stepping into the apartment.

She began to close the door before Chibs entered, so he shoved his steel toed boot in the entry way and sighed. "Get out of my life!" She shouted, trying to shove the door shut. Billy grabbed her arm and forced her to turn around, and face him. "Enough Erin!" He shouted. Erin froze, her uncle had never yelled at her, let alone forcibly grabbed her. "Sit down," he said quietly, feeling guilty. She followed his orders begrudgingly.

Chibs entered the apartment and closed the door behind him, feeling bad about coming between the two of them. "Chibs," Billy said, motioning to the other side of the couch. He nodded and sat, feeling awkwardly like they were on their first date. Billy dragged over a chair from the kitchen table and sat in front of them.

"For the sake of this child, my peace of my mind, and for both of your sanity purposes, I know that I need to intervene and bring the two of you together, or at least explain why my niece insists on being alone during a time like this," he said. Erin shook her head and turned away from him, her face clouded. "Erin's father was a very angry man, especially when he drank. He wasn't nice to Erin or her mother at all. She took off when she was young. Never looked backed. So I moved in to help out. Erin grew up wild and reckless. Whatever self control and restraint she has, she learned because of me. She has a mean wild streak and a bad problem with authority. It's only gotten slightly better since her father passed."

Billy turned towards Erin and sighed. "I understand why you want to run, kid. You never had a mother or a father. All you know is how to run and fight, but right now that's not going to do you much good," he added. He looked at her to see if anything registered with her, but he just found her staring off at the wall behind him. Billy stood up and sighed, clapping his hands together. "Well, I promised to intervene long enough to open up the lines of communication. I'm going to go in the kitchen and see if I can whip us up some dinner," he said, turning and walking away.

Chibs and Erin sat on opposite ends of the couch, the awkward silence sitting between them like a set of parents supervising their teenage daughter on her first date. They could hear pots banging together in kitchen as Billy began to cook. Chibs cleared his throat and turned towards her. "I should tell you about myself, since I know-," he began to say. "I know everything already," she said, interrupting him. He shook his head and laughed lightly. "That folder isn't half of it, sweetheart."

"At first, I thought it was some plot I remembered from a movie, but then I kept remembering more and more. And finally I remembered you telling me that story- drunk. Your wife. Your daughter. The guy you killed. We were both pretty fucked up that night so it pretty much just slipped out like nothing and didn't mean much, but then it meant something when I pieced it all together," Erin said, her eyes never moving off of the wall. Chibs looked at her, his face straight. He couldn't believe the world of hurt he had unloaded on her. A stranger. "What else did I tell you?" He asked, his mouth suddenly dry, remembering what drove him to that bar in the first place.

Erin laughed, shaking her head lightly. She couldn't believe the mess she had gotten herself into. Knocked up by the biker. Scared shitless. "You told me about the kid," she whispered, her voice cracking. She drew in a shaky breath, trying to keep the tears at bay. Erin felt the couch shit as Chibs moved closer to her. She could his warm breath on her skin and smell that faint tobacco smell on his skin, as he placed a hand on her shoulder. He massaged her shoulder gently, remembering how that kid died in his arms, a result of the club's relations with the Mayans.

"Is that why you ran, love?" He asked, his deep voice sending shivers through her body. "I ran because we are not fit to be parents. You and your friends, killed that child. Me... I'm no good to any baby. To anyone." She nodded slowly, turning to face him. "How could you come into my life and make promises like that? And then... And then..." Chibs turned away from her, embarrassed that his recollection from that night was still hazy.

It was clearly an emotional night for both of them. He bared his soul to her. And she... He had made some promises that he couldn't remember. "Erin, what happened that night we met? I want you to tell me everything," he said, finally admitting his failure to himself and her. Erin thought back to that early evening, which eventually turned into a late morning, and smiled. "You don't remember anything do you?" She asked. He shook his head no and scowled. She leaned back into the couch and finally turned towards him, her mouth cocked into a small smile."Well it all began with an old Johnny Cash song and some Whiskey."


	6. Hold On Tight

**Title**: Of Wildwood Flowers and Whiskey

**Summary**: Here's to the long nights that came with smooth Tennessee whiskey and love that was sweet as wine. To wildwood flowers that hid us in the moonlight, from ourselves and each other. _Chibs/OFC._

**A/N**: Sorry for the delay everyone! I did not forget about you. Holidays, graduation, and RL has taken over, but here is the next chapter. The next 2-3 chapters will focus on that fateful night when Chibs and Erin met and what transpired. Then I will move back to their present day and what's happening now.

**Chapter Six:** Hold On Tight

This is the story of how they met...

It had all started out so simple, but had gone so horribly wrong. Chibs was trying to wrap his head around it, but all he could do was down another shot. Billy could read the pain in his eyes, and he hadn't seen another bunch of sorrier guys come into his bar, so he didn't mind when the group took up the big table in corner and began to get rowdy. He eyed the lonely chap at the bar as poured him another drink.

"You're not going to join your friends?" He asked Chibs, ignoring the blood stains on his shirt. Chibs shrugged and downed his shot, his hair falling into his face. Billy heard rustling behind him and turned to find Erin emerging from the kitchen. "Nice of you to finally join us," he said, his voice laced with sarcasm, as he eyed her from head to toe. As usual, she was dressed in black skinny jeans and a white tank top, her wrists lined with silver bracelets and her ears with studs. He threw a rag at her and motioned to the bar. Erin walked over to him and placed a kiss on his cheek, before taking the bottle from his fingers and pouring herself a drink.

"Cheer up, old man," she said, taking a sip. "I was only gone for a couple of hours," she said, before walking away to tend to some tables. Billy stared after her, shaking his head slowly. He didn't know what he was going to do with her. He knew she was a grown woman, but at times he felt like he was dealing with a child. Billy kept his eye on her periodically as he made his way to the tables also. The bar began to fill up rather quickly and pretty soon he lost track of her.

The bar was hot and full of people dancing in dark corners and smoking at dimly lit tables. As Erin walked by the jukebox, she stopped and slipped in a quarter to play her favorite song. She walked away, heading back to the bar to fill up some more drink orders. She sang to herself, as she filled up the drink glasses. "Oh, she taught me to love her and promise to love," she sang to herself, measuring out shots of whiskey.

"Let me get one of those, love," Chibs asked. Erin smirked, and walked the shot glass over to him, placing it in front of him but no letting it go. Chibs placed his hand on top of hers and stared straight at her. "What makes you think anything about me is love?" She asked, her eyes finding his. He drew his mouth into a smirk, challenging her. He could see it in her eyes that she loved anything that came with a fight. "Any woman that wears pants that low and tight wants to be loved, one way or another."

Erin scowled, snatching the drink away from him and downing it instead. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and glared at him. "What about now? Do you still want to love me?" She asked, lighting herself a cigarette. It was his turn to smirk, as he reached across the bar and snatched the cigarette out of her hand, placing it in his mouth and taking a pull. "Always, sweetheart. If you drink whiskey like that, can sing me to sleep every night, and have this taste in music, you will always have a place in my heart," he replied.

She couldn't help but flip her head back and laugh, and stretch her hand out to place it on his arm. Erin always loved trouble and she could see from a mile away that she was standing across from it. "Now you, sir, are a smooth talker," she said. "Keep the cigarette. My daddy never taught me to share." She poured another two drinks and passed him one, downing the other.

Chibs scoffed and downed his, feeling his world starting to go numb. "It could've been worse. Me dad only taught me to take what I want," he replied. Erin loaded the drinks she had poured onto a tray and walked around the bar. She gave Chibs the once over, not really interested in going back and forth over shitty dads story. She could tell the man was hurting, along with every other sad soul in this place. "Take the bottle. It's on the house," she said, before turning away and heading back to her tables.

"Bloody hell," Chibs mumbled, feeling like crap. It was one thing to pity yourself, but when the bartender begins to pity you it's a whole other thing. He poured himself four fingers worth of whiskey and continued humming the song way past it's end, waiting for her to come back. While he waited, he sat alone, turning away every sweetbutt that tried to climb onto his lap. He waited, he smoked, and he drank. So by the time she made her way round to him, he was eight fingers in and going strong.

"My oh my," she said, slipping into the bar stool next to him. "The way you're drinking, she must have a name." Erin picked up his glass and chugged down what was left of his eight fingers. "What do you know about that?" He asked. She shrugged, licking her lips. "I drink alot. Some nights to forget. Some nights to remember," she replied casually, like it was a normal thing. Chibs eyed her wearily.

"I don't get belligerent. I feel... Free. You, sir, are a bad drinker. You suck the fun out of Johnny Cash and whiskey," she replied, lighting her own cigarette. She leaned back into the bar stool and kicked her feet up on the bar top. Chibs laughed. "How does one become a fun drunk?" He asked. She shrugged. "Don't know. I just drink and the happy comes out. The rest of the day, I'm just okay. Until the ugly comes out."

Chibs nodded along. Some how, in his drunk mind it all made sense. "There's a lot of ugly in me. That won't come out and it shouldn't," he whispered, staring at his cup. Erin reached over and poured him some whiskey. "Oh, it comes out. When you least expect it. Most of the time when you're looking in the mirror or when you're trying to prove something to yourself. The rest of the time, it's just waiting for the perfect moment to come out and embarrass you in front of your loved ones," she replied.

"And then you come here and drink?" He asked, swirling his cup around. Erin shook her head no and took a pull from her cigarette. "No, I try to keep it bottled up, but sometimes you can't. So there's this wildwood flower field out on the edge of town. I grab me a blanket, radio, a bottle and some cigs. Make my way there. Sometimes all you need is some alone time to clear your heard. Just you, your whiskey and the stars," she replied.

Chibs couldn't help but laugh. "What world do you live in, sweetheart?" He asked. She stared at him, feeling her blood begin to boil. She didn't give two shits about this guy, so why even try to explain herself to him. Erin shrugged and made to get up, but he put a hand on her thigh. "I'm sorry. I'm not used to people... who actually process their emotions. More like them," he said, motioning over his shoulder.

Erin turned around and stared at them. They all looked battered and bruised. The light at the end of the tunnel would be a miracle for them. "I was born like them. Dark. Lost. Abused," she said, turning back to him. "Enough years of living like that will drive you to the edge of not giving a fuck." He thought about her words and couldn't stop himself from looking over to Juice. His lost, quiet brother. For once, he could honestly understand what drove him to do the things he did. He was human after all.

Chibs frowned looking up at Erin. She felt a tug in her heart and refilled his glass, seeing his face become clouded with emotions. "Listen, don't pay attention to anything I said. What the hell do I know?" She said, placing the bottle on the bar. When she turned to walk away, he placed his hand on her exposed waist. "Show me. One night. Me and you," he whispered, his words starting to run together.

It was like a proposition from the devil himself. She knew better than to say yes, but Erin had a mean streak. She liked to learn things the hard and the fast way. While all the other girls were doing their makeup and picking out prom dresses, she smoking and drag skin felt like it was on fire as his rough, calloused hands touched her bare skin. She normally went for the preppy type. Always trying to prove to herself that she was nothing like her mother and she would never end up with a guy like her dad.

She literally lived her life one moment at a time, deciding on a whim how she felt about everything. She was a wild card. Years of seeing the abuse her mother put up with scarred her, so she never settled down. The idea of having kids and keeping a house didn't appeal to her much. Hell, the only reason she had lived in that same town for that long was because of her Uncle Billy. He was home for her. He was the only one who could ever bring her back from whatever cloud she was currently walking on.

Erin reached over and pulled his hand from her, smiling softly at him. "I don't think that's a good idea," she said. What she really meant was that she already knew more about him that half of the guys she picked up here. Erin wasn't one for friends, and Chibs was as close to one as she had right now. He drew his hand away from her and nodded. "Alright, join a fellow for a drink then?" He asked.

Chibs' tone pleaded with her. For the first time all day, he had stopped worrying. That gnawing at the bottom of his stomach had stopped. Because of her. He held her glass out to her, plastering a fake smile on his face. Before she knew it, her hand was accepting the drink, intrigued by the man inviting her to a drink.

Billy headed back to the bar, surprised to find his niece still around. He raised an eyebrow as he walked around the bar, standing before the pair. While the two looked like they were meant for each, Billy knew his niece very well. Chibs was not her usual type. The one she got liquored up enough to let them take her home. The one she never remembered the next day, and if she did, she never bothered to call again. Once that itch was scratched, she was done. His niece liked to play with fire, he had discovered. And while he was slightly ashamed, it was the only time she ever showed any type of emotions.

And when he saw Erin with Chibs, he realized she was on the prowl. "Don't you think the two of you should call it a night?" He asked, motioning to the almost empty bottle of whiskey. Erin chuckled and glanced over to her uncle. "Why? You worried?" She teased, reaching over and patting him on the shoulder. Billy rolled his eyes sarcastically. "Don't worry, I'll take care of your little girl," Chibs replied, absentmindedly. It was a slip of the tongue that would change his life forever.

Erin froze, processing his words. Chibs mentally kicked himself, cursing himself for saying that. His mind clouded with whiskey, thoughts of a dead child, and her grasped in his arms. Billy noticed the awkward silence that fell upon them and motioned behind them. "Well I'm going to go close up your crew's tab. Looks like they are leaving," he said, grabbing a rag and disappearing quickly.

They both turned, following Billy with their eyes. They watched as the boys began to clear out and Billy wiped down their now empty tables. Erin turned back towards Chibs and found his eyes waiting for hers. This was their chance. As if they were teenagers, who knew when they would see each other again? Could she throw caution to the wind again?

She smiled at him before reaching down and taking off her apron. "So you in any condition to drive?" She asked, walking around the bar, grabbing another bottle of whiskey. Chibs couldn't help the shit eating grin that appeared on his face as his eyes followed her. "What happened to us not being a good idea?" He asked, not being able to resist challenging her.

Erin disappeared into the kitchen and reappeared with a book bag in tow and raised an eyebrow at him. "Do you want the truth or do you want me to laugh it off?" She asked, sliding the bottle into the bag. He stared intently at her, curious as to what was going on inside that head. "Tell me the truth, love. Always, even if it's going to break my heart," he replied.

She nodded, drawing in a deep breath and leaning forward on her elbows. "I look at you and I really don't know how to feel. You remind me of myself a little too much. You drink like my daddy and you have this sad, lost puppy dog look on your face. Which scares me. Because either you'll fall in love with me and I'll end up breaking your heart, or I'll fall for whatever you're selling and I'll end up even more jaded. And if it's one thing that I like more than sleeping in every morning and taking hot baths until my skin turns red, is hurting myself."

Chibs thought about her words and felt a truthiness ring in them. Something in him told him that as much pain as he would put her through, so would she. "All I'm asking for is one night. This isn't a marriage proposal. If tomorrow morning, we wake up and realize that it wasn't a good idea, we walk away and never look back," he said, extending a hand towards her.

"Promise?" She asked, eyeing his hand. He nodded and inched towards her. "Only if we take your bike," she said, taking his hand and shaking it firmly. Chibs laughed and dragged her out from behind the bar. "Prospects!" He yelled, rounding up the club's latest recruits. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in close. "Why don't you drop off the lovely lady's car at...?" He asked, motioning to Erin.

She reached into her pocket and pulled out her car keys, dangling it out for them. "Head south on the main road. Theres a motel a couple miles down," she replied, a small blush creeping onto her face. Chibs laughed, nuzzling her neck. He nodded to the prospects, who took off with their orders. "So what do you want to go do? I'll take you anywhere."

Erin pulled away from him and stared intently into his eyes. "You asked what I did when the ugly wanted to come out," she replied, motioning to her bookbag. Chibs nodded, sliding out of the chair and heading towards the door. "So let's go," he said, digging into his pocket for his keys. She laughed lightly, grabbing her bag and putting the bottle of liquor into it. She zipped it up and slung it over her shoulder, following him out of the bar.

She found him on top of a motorcycle and felt butterflies come alive in the pit of her stomach. Chibs held out a helmet to her, a smile on his face. She climbed on behind him, her body nestling perfectly into his. Erin strapped the helmet on and felt the bike vibrating underneath her. She smiled, as Chibs reached behind her and grabbed her arms, wrapping them around him. "Love, hold on tight."


End file.
